The Question Game
by Hunter the Writer
Summary: Originally written by Aferus. Uploading only for archival purposes, I in no way shape or form have edited this story.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Question Game**_

Int

**Disclaimer**: I do not own the Ultimate Spider-Man™ television series, Ultimate Spider-Man™ is the sole trademark of Marvel Animation Studios.

**Author's Note**: This is just a short story spin-off that I've been really wanting to write about for a while now. It's purely an **Ava x Peter** story, so I really hope you enjoy it! Thank you!

Int

_**Tired-Out Tiger**_

_Early morning at Midtown High…_

After the five-minute warning bell rang off in the hallways, the students rushed to their first class of the day, slamming their locker doors closed and finishing up their conversations with friends to do so. Peter and Sam walked through the crowds to get to their **European History** class.

"Ugh, you'd think that these losers would be in class by now." Sam complained as he pushed through the crowds.

"Well, **we're** not in class yet either, Sam."

"Yeah, but we're usually out fighting bad guys, Parker. I **value** those extra ten minutes in bed before I have to get here to school."

"That's **after** you cook yourself breakfast, isn't it?"

Sam grinned.

"Would I have it any other way? My pancakes are bomb, man."

Peter rolled his eyes.

Finally, they made their way into their history class. The class was already half-way filled and their teacher, Mrs. Winterhalter, was already writing the day's lesson on the whiteboard in blue dry-erase marker.

"What's the lesson for today?" Sam asked as he put his backpack down on the desk to the left of Peter in the far back of the room.

Peter squinted at the board.

"More on the **Italian Renaissance**, I think. Page 217."

"On it." Sam began flipping through his history textbook.

Peter did the same, flipping through his own textbook when he noticed something odd. Ava's seat to his right was **empty**.

"Sam, **Ava** call out sick or something?"

Sam glanced over to her empty desk.

"**No**. She was up most of the night chasing the thugs that robbed the bank on 5th Street, though. I think she tracked them all the way to **Jersey** before she caught them."

"Why didn't she call for back-up?" Peter questioned.

"She didn't want any. You know how she is."

The 8:00 bell rang and with it, Mrs. Winterhalter shut the classroom door.

"Maybe she'll take the day off." Sam suggested.

"Ava's cares too much about her perfect attendance for that, man."

Mrs. Winterhalter took her place at the front of the classroom.

"Alright, **good morning**, class. Today we're going to go ahead and finish off the last section for the **Italian Renaissance**. Now, if you haven't been paying attention the last few days, **please** pay attention **today**. Tomorrow is the quarter exam and it'll count for **25% **of your grade. Today's lesson covers most of it." She explained.

"Ava's screwed." Sam whispered.

"Now, if you've turned to the page, let's start with the beginning of the **Reformation Movement in 1517** and we'll finish off with the **Sack of Rome** in **1527**."

Peter placed the textbook at the side of his desk so that he had enough room to write in his notebook.

Suddenly, the door opened and **Ava** walked in.

"Oh, damn." Sam commented, seeing at the state she was in.

She looked **exhausted**. Her hair was all over the place, evident **bed head**. She had slight bags underneath her eyes, showing her lack of sleep. And she looked like she had rushed through her wardrobe so badly that she mixed matched her green top with her blue skirt. Something she **never **did.

"Mrs. Winterhalter, **so sorry** I'm late!" Ava quickly stated.

The teacher gave her a cold look, glancing up at the clock.

"Good of you to join us, Miss Ayala. Look, I'm not going to write you up since you're never this late, but **please**, I ask you to pay attention today. It's vital to your grade that you do."

"Yes, yes, will do!"

Ava eyeballed her seat and walked towards it, ignoring the looks of her classmates. She looked up at Peter and Sam, placing her stuff down at the side of her desk.

"What the **hell**, Sam!? How come you didn't wake me up!?" She angrily whispered past Peter.

He shrugged.

"You don't remember the **last time** I tried waking you up for school!? You almost tore my face off! I thought I'd let you sleep in since you were up until 5 in the morning!" Sam quietly argued.

"But I almost missed school you **moron**!"

"**Mr. Alexander**, **Ms. Ayala**, is there anything you wish to share with the class?" Mrs. Winterhalter quickly spoke up, noticing their exchange of words.

"Oh, no, Mrs. Winterhalter, **sorry**." Sam responded.

She glared at them both for a second before returning to the PowerPoint presentation she had set up through the projector.

Peter looked over at Ava, who seemed lost trying to figure out which page to turn to in their textbook.

"We're starting at page 217, Ava."

"Oh, okay!"

She quickly turned to that page.

"Thanks, Parker."

"No problem." He smiled.

"Alright, so once **Martin Luther **posted his _95 Theses_, it sparked quite the reaction from the **Catholic Church**, causing all sorts of…"

Peter paid attention and wrote down the information as the teacher presented it. He glanced over to Ava periodically, noticing that she was closing her eyes for brief seconds.

However, as the class dragged on, she was closing them for longer and longer periods.

"Ava." Peter calmly shook her shoulder when she kept her eyes closed for over a minute.

She quickly snapped her eyes open and did her hardest to stay awake.

After about thirty minutes, Peter glanced over and saw that Ava had **fallen asleep** with her head against the textbook. He reached over to wake her up before Sam grabbed his shoulder.

"Unless you want her to go full **Tiger**, I wouldn't do that, dude." He whispered.

Peter then remembered that she had her Tiger amulet hung around her neck.

"So, what? Just let her **sleep**? Sam, she might fail the test tomorrow if she doesn't take notes now."

Sam shrugged.

"Just catch her up later."

Peter opted to leave her be, seeing Sam's point. She probably needed the sleep anyway. Mrs. Winterhalter had noticed that Ava had fallen asleep, but simply shook her head. She didn't have time to keep Ava awake throughout the chapter.

Int

_An hour and a half later…_

The end of class bell rang, waking Ava up from her sleep. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized that she **slept **through the **entire** chapter.

"Oh, **crap**." Ava shot up from her seat and walked over to the teacher.

Sam and Peter watched as she tried to plead her case to Mrs. Winterhalter, trying to convince her to let her stay after school to catch up on the lesson, but the teacher wasn't having it.

"…you'll just have to get the notes from one of your classmates, Ava. I'm sorry, but this is the price for falling asleep in my class." She concluded.

Ava sighed as she walked back to her seat.

"I'm going to let **you** deal with that, dude." Sam subtly told Peter.

"What? Why me?"

"Well, **one**, cause you write better notes than me. **Two**, she's pissed off at me as it is, not going to make her angrier than she already is. **Three**, this is your **perfect** chance to have a little one-on-one date with Tiger."

Sam winked at that last point.

"Sam! I told you not to mention…"

"I haven't said a **word**, Parker. Take the chance, dude."

Sam patted Peter on the shoulder as he got up and walked past his two friends and out the classroom.

Ava was packing away her textbook into her bookbag when Peter spoke up.

"Hey, **Ava**."

She looked over at him. She still looked tired but more so **disappointed** that she had fallen asleep during class.

"What?"

"Hey, I can help catch you up after-school on the lesson from today." He kindly offered.

She crossed her arms.

"**Parker**, I've **seen** the way you write notes in Chemistry. You're not that good at it."

"Yeah, because I'm **not that bad** at Chemistry, I don't need to write notes for it. History isn't my strongest class so I try harder to write better notes here. Trust me, I took good ones, see?"

He showed her his notebook.

"Alright, I can work with that." She sounded hopeful.

"My place right after school, then?"

His heart skipped a beat, not realizing that he had just invited Ava to his place. Alone. Without the rest of the team. By themselves.

**Alone**.

She thought about it for a second.

"Didn't Fury have a training session for us today?" She asked.

"No, that's tomorrow."

"Oh right. Damn, I'm already forgetting stuff after staying up last night."

"It's alright." He assured her.

She gave it one more second of thought.

"Sure, Peter. I can meet you up there after school."

"Sweet! I mean, good." He nervously replied.

"I think I'm going to staple my eyelids open for my next class." She joked, swinging her bookbag to her back.

He laughed.

"Maybe you should."

"Alright. Well, I'll see you later, Parker. Thanks again."

She smiled as she said this, turning around and walking out of the classroom to her next class.

Peter couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Sure, he worked with Ava on several occasions, being part of the team and all. But, he never actually worked with her **one on one**, outside of being superheroes.

He hoped that Sam's suggestion was going to pay off when she shows up that night.

Int

**Author's Note**: Let me know what you guys think! I appreciate it!


	2. Chapter 2

_**Study Session**_

Int

After school, Peter headed home to set everything up before Ava showed up for their study session. Aunt May herself was getting ready to head out for a book reading in the city.

"You sure you don't need me to make you something, Pete? I'm sure Ava will get hungry later."

"Don't worry, May. I'll find **something** to make here. I don't even think she's going to be here that long for her to eat dinner." Peter assured her.

"Well, then **don't forget** that my recipe book is in the upper right-hand drawer next to the fridge, okay?"

"Got it, thanks May."

She wrapped her green coat over her, taking a glance back at Peter before she opened up the front door.

"And **please**, Peter, if you're going to do something with this girl, **please** use protection."

"**Maaaay**! It's **not **like that!"

"Mhm." She smiled.

"See you, Peter."

She closed the door behind her. Peter looked outside the window to see her pull out of the drive way and out into the street.

He sat down at the couch and pulled out his notebook and history textbook, opening both to the respective pages for the Italian Renaissance topics.

As he looked through the notes, his communicator rang off.

Nova's face appeared when Peter answered.

"What's up, Sam?"

"Heeeeey! Just checking up on you before **Ava **shows up!"

"Stop being a creeper. This is **just** a study session to catch her up."

Nova laughed.

"Dude, just **ask her out** already, man! Luke and Danny both know you've got the **feelings** for Ava!"

"Shhhh! Sam! Come on, man!"

"Relax, **web-head**. Ava's on her way. She left with all her books and stuff."

"Alright. Well…"

"Make a move!" Nova exclaimed, ending the call right then and there.

Peter rolled his eyes and resumed reading his notes.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Peter opened it to see Ava standing there with her books in her arms and her bookbag at her back.

"Thanks, Parker. Let's get this started."

She walked past him and sat down at the couch, setting up her notepad next to his.

He noticed that she had changed into a different evening attire, not the mismatched top and skirt she had worn earlier that day. But, now it was a simple black dress.

"Glad to see you aren't tired enough to wear different colored clothing." He joked.

She slightly blushed.

"Not my proudest moment. Gosh, I was **so** embarrassed this morning! I couldn't believe I overslept and showed up late!"

He walked over to the kitchen for a quick moment.

"Real quick, did you want anything to drink? Eat?"

"Oh no, thanks. I'm sure this isn't going to take long anyway." She assured him.

"Alright."

He walked back over and sat next to her.

"Yeah, you got me worried. You're **never** late or absent from class."

"Well, you can thank **Sam **that I overslept. We usually eat breakfast with Danny and Luke before heading out to school and he totally knew that I was still asleep."

"Then it's a good thing you showed up in time."

"Still didn't excuse the fact I slept through the lesson." She sighed.

"That's why you're here!" He smiled.

"Right, let's get to it then."

She went ahead and started reading his notes, taking down her own notes while also referencing the textbook and asking him questions on specific events through the last decades of the Renaissance.

About fifteen minutes of her studying had passed when Peter decided to ask about the night prior.

"So, what happened last night? Sam told me you were up chasing robbers all the way to Jersey?"

"What, keeping tabs on me now, **Parker**?"

"Just concerned, Ava. I **am** your team leader after all." He quickly answered.

She slightly giggled.

"**Whatever** that means! Yeah, there was a call that one of the major banks had been robbed and so I went at it alone. I ended up in a car chase that took me all the way off Manhattan and well into Jersey before they ran out of gas and crashed into a library! Of all things!"

"What happened then?"

"It was around four in the morning when I finally caught up to them and Fury sent a Quinjet to pick me up back to the heli-carrier around 4:45. By then, I was so tired that I **crashed** right onto my bed and **forgot** to set my alarm for school."

She sighed.

"Well, you should've called for **back-up**, Ava. That's what we're here for."

She shrugged.

"I didn't want to bother you guys. I thought I could handle a simple robbery on my own. I guess I've still got a lot to learn about teamwork, huh?" She modestly answered.

"Hey, props to you for trying."

"I guess." She slightly chuckled.

After about thirty minutes more of studying, she finally had caught up with the information she needed.

"Well, that's **that**." She made a sigh of relief.

"Jeez. That was quick! I didn't think you'd catch up to the lesson that fast!"

"I'm a **quick learner**. What do you expect, Parker?" She laughed.

"Yeah, only **sometimes**, though!"

She rolled her eyes, glancing over at the clock.

**5:48PM. **

"What are they having for dinner up on the helicarrier?" Peter then asked.

"**Sam** was **supposed** to cook but it's his night on patrol duty around the city. I know better than to try Danny's cuisine twice in one week. And, Luke's not good at it either. I guess I'll just settle with a salad on the way back to the heli-carrier."

She stood up to get her stuff together into her bookbag.

"Mm. Well, this might be a little **informal**, Ava. But, **I** could cook you something here." He offered.

Ava smiled and crossed her arms.

"I **doubt** your cooking's any better than Sam, Pete."

"Try me."

"Oh, **alright**. I've got nothing else better to do anyway."

She placed her bag down.

Int

_Forty-five minutes later…_

Peter prepared some of Aunt May's delicious lemon-peppered chicken with broccoli. Ava helped set up the dining table and grab the ingredients for him from the pantry.

They both sat down and started eating their dinner.

"Wow, this is **pretty good**, Peter." She mentioned as she took a few bites.

"Told you. And you thought you could **doubt **me." He joked.

"Oh come on, I **never **doubt you!"

He laughed.

"I love your sarcasm, Ava."

"I'm better at it than Sam, most days." She smiled.

He wiped away his mouth.

"So, what **do** you do when you're not out being White Tiger or studying?" He curiously asked.

She finished chewing on a piece before answering.

"Mm… I'd be reading a really good book or watching something on TV."

"**Really**? What kind of book?"

"What, are we playing the **Question Game** now, Parker?" She crossed her arms.

"Well, I'm game if you are."

She giggled.

"Alright, I'm game. But it's **my **turn to ask the question."

"Okay."

"**How** does your Spidey sense work? I've always wondered about that."

He pondered how to answer for a quick moment.

"It just happens. It's like a sharp warning in the back of my head that tells me something's about to happen. A premonition, I guess."

"That's a little weird. But then again, **I **wish I had a warning system inside **my **head." She sighed. "Still would rather be White Tiger than Spider-Girl any day, though. Costume's better."

"Oh **really**?" Peter crossed his arms.

"It looks **uncomfortable**!" She laughed.

"Hey, it fits just right, leave me alone!" He sarcastically answered.

"**I'm sure**!" She giggled, taking a sip of her glass of juice.

"If we're talking about uncomfortable, just look at **your** costume, Ava!"

"Oh, **I dare you** to talk crap about it, Parker!" She joked.

"I mean, it just looks **too tight**."

She caught the emphasis of "too tight."

"I guess it's good enough for you to stare at all the time when I'm wearing it, so I don't see the problem!"

Peter was quickly taken back, slightly blushing.

"I'm **joking**, Parker." She smiled. "Relax, it's **your** turn."

"Oh, alright! Um… what was it that I asked before. Oh yeah, what **kind **of books do you read?"

"I'll tell you if you swear not to tell the other guys. Sam especially. He'll never leave me alone about it and he's annoying enough as it is."

"Hey, **nothing** leaves this conversation, I promise." He assured her.

"Okay. Well, I'm actually a sucker for **romance **novels."

"**Romance**? I never thought you for a romantic. You usually talk crap about the couples in school."

"I know, I don't really talk about it. I try **not** to. But, come on, Parker. I'm a chick, I've **got** wants too. Especially so when nobody's **ever **asked me to any of the school dances. So, give me a break."

"What? Really? I don't see how… Um… I mean, that sucks, Ava."

"It's alright, Pete. They're dumb anyway." She sighed.

Peter felt sorry for her at that moment, knowing she didn't mean that. It was obvious that she had always wanted to be asked by someone to the dance, but saw now that nobody has ever mustered the courage to ask her.

"Your turn, Ava."

Int


	3. Chapter 3

_**Personal Talk**_

Int

_6:45PM at Peter's place…_

"Alright, well… Hmm…. The worst bad guy we've fought so far?" Ava questioned.

"Easy. **Batroc the Leaper**."

"Oh, for **sure**." Ava agreed. "That guy's a total tool."

"I'm not sure about a **tool**, but he's definitely **annoying**." Peter corrected. "Every time I hear that he's gone escaped and robbed another bank, all I think is '**again?**'."

Ava finished up her chicken and glanced over at Peter's plate as she wiped her mouth away.

"You need to finish your plate, Parker."

"Oh, right. Sorry, it's an **enjoyable** conversation we're having." He snickered.

She smiled.

"Your turn, Pete."

He finished chewing down a piece and took a sip of his juice.

"**Alright**. **Why** is it that you're always so determined to be the best in class, Ava? I mean, I get that it's good and all, but you go **above and beyond**. Why?"

Her smile slowly faded away.

"It's mostly because of **my parents**. With mom giving birth to me at an early age and dad taking up the **White Tiger** mantle, there wasn't a whole lot of time for them to get an education. So, after mom passed away and dad was murdered, I realized I **had** to do better. **For them**, you know?" She explained.

The mood had shifted to a more somber state.

"I'm sorry, Ava. I get it now."

"**No**, don't worry about it, Parker. I mean, I get why you guys always wonder. It just doesn't seem like a reason that I have to explain."

"You didn't have to." He assured her.

"Well, I wanted to tell someone."

It was evident that the memory of her parents forced slivers of tears into her eyes. She did her best to force them back but Peter was sitting too close to had overlooked them.

"Anyway, I think it's **my **turn." She pointed out.

"Right."

"So, what's the deal with you and **MJ**, anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you both were like **childhood friends**, weren't you? You guys haven't spoken much since **Sam** started dating her."

"Why so curious about that?" Peter inquired.

"**Hey**! I'm the one asking the next question here!" She smirked.

He slightly chuckled.

"Okay. Since we're being honest here and all. I had the **biggest **crush on her since we were kids and after Sam asked her out, well. It kind of killed it right there."

"Do you still have feelings for her?"

He was more interested as to **why** she was asking about that more than anything.

"Not really. I mean, I care about her as a **friend**. But, I give them both their space, you know? Besides, she already told me once that she'll always view me as a **friend**. I'd rather not keep tugging rope that won't pull with her."

"I see." She simply answered.

A minute or two later and Peter was **finally** finished with his food.

"I'll take the plates up, Pete. I'll wash them." Ava offered, standing up.

"**No**, **no**, don't worry about it! **I'll **take care of them."

He picked up her plate, then his, and walked them over to the dish where he began rinsing them with water. She walked over, looking at Aunt May's kitchen knick-knacks on the countertops.

"Thanks for dinner, Pete. It was nice! It's not **as good** as Sam's, but definitely better than what I would've had tonight."

He smiled as he finished washing up the plates. As he placed them away in the drainer, he glanced at the digital clock on top of the stove. **7:03PM**

"Yeah, well, a bit of **protein **is a lot better than just a simple salad. I'm glad I could help you out with catching up with your lesson. You'll **probably** do much better than me at the test tomorrow."

She handed him a kitchen towel to dry his hands up after he turned off the faucet.

"Maybe. Who knows?" She joked.

"**Again** with that sarcasm. How come you never talk like this when Sam's being sarcastic?"

She giggled.

"Because then **he'll** notice and then he'll **force **me into a sarcasm match. Trust me, we've had **plenty **of those on the heli-carrier. Those end up pretty **violent**."

"I'll take your word for it."

He walked over to the living room and picked up her bookbag to hand it to her.

"I'll walk you out to the Quinjet pick-up spot in the nearby park, Ava."

She hesitated for a moment, simply staring at the bag.

"Something wrong?" He asked, nervously looking himself over to see if maybe there was a food stain or something.

"**No**, Peter, no, you're fine!" She smiled.

"I just, wanted to finish our **Question Game** before I headed home."

This surprised him, forcing him to glance at the clock again to make sure it wasn't too late.

"Trust me, **I know** what time it is. But, I'm having fun over here. Come on, **sit**. I **do **believe it's your turn, after all."

He grinned at hearing this, sitting down next to her on the couch.

"Okay, hmm… Let's see. Alright, how did Fury discover you anyway? Were there some superhero tryouts or did he just **randomly** select you like me?"

She rolled her eyes.

"**Your** selection wasn't **random**, Parker. Fury had you in mind the moment he started the team. No, the others and me were **random**. One minute we're out doing our own thing and the next, **Fury** shows up and offers us a job."

"Bet you took it right away didn't you?"

"**Actually**, I said no at first. I didn't want to be part of a team full of brain dead **boys**. He eventually convinced me after the fact." She corrected.

"You don't regret it. Do you, Ava?" He curiously asked.

She looked up at him. For a moment, she got caught up staring at him as he stared back at her. She smiled and spoke up to break the silence.

"**No**. I don't."

"Good."

He relaxed and sat back on the couch.

"Your turn, **Ava**."

She took off her flats and sat back so that she could relax herself.

"What's **your **favorite part about being in the team?"

He laid his head back on the headrest of the couch and closed his eyes for a moment as he thought about the answer to her question.

"Hmm… there's more than **one** favorite part of the team. There's getting **time-off **most nights while we alternate city patrol shifts. There's traveling the world, finding all sorts of **weirdoes** to have to fight…"

She crossed her arms.

"That's **it**? That's all you care about?"

"…and then, there's my **teammates**. I couldn't have asked for a better team, and that's the truth. Don't tell Sam that, though. He'll let it get to his head."

"You're **right**! He would!" She laughed.

"And then he'd go on about how he should **be the leader** and how **MJ** thinks he's the greatest guy in the school!" Peter continued joking on.

"He'd be wrong, cause that's **totally** not true!"

"Well, who do **you** think is the greatest?" Peter managed to ask amid their laughter.

"**You**, web-head!"

He instantly caught on to what she had just said, pausing from laughing while she continued. After a moment, she stopped too, quickly realizing what she had **just said**.

"**Oh**! I mean, you're the **greatest** **leader**, Peter! I didn't mean that you're the greatest guy in school or anything like that! I mean…" She nervously stumbled.

"No, no! Relax, Ava, **it's fine**!" He assured her, placing his hand on her shoulder.

She slightly smiled, taking a deep breath.

"Alright, **my turn again**." Peter started. "So, you said you've **never** been asked to a school dance before?"

She shook her head.

"If you **could** go to the school dance. Like… the formal dance coming up here **next month**. What would you **wear**? Just curious."

Her eyes widened at the question.

"Why do you want to know that, Parker?"

He grinned, ready with the answer.

"**I'm** the one asking the questions here, Ava."

She began to blush, looking away down to the coffee table in front of the couch.

"There's this pretty **all-black off-the-shoulder lace party dress** I saw at the dress store down on 5th a few months ago. It's **still **there! So, it might be one of those permanent items they always have on sale. I'd wear that, with a **white sash** at my waist and these cute black high-heels that I saw at…"

Peter listened intently, seeing the vibrant glow in Ava's eyes as she described the perfect dress that she'd love nothing more than to wear at a dance. That's when he truly realized that she didn't mean what she said, that the dances were **stupid events**. She **really **wanted to go, and this never-before-seen side of her having a **girl moment** was proof to that.

"…and of course, I'd wear the **Jade Tiger Amulet **at my neck. You know, **just in case**. Although, **I'm **going to **kill **the jerk that ruins that!"

Suddenly, she caught herself, realizing reality.

"But, that's **never **going to happen since **nobody **is ever going to ask me out to the dance." She sighed, staring off at the tv.

"You don't **know** that." Peter spoke up.

Ava looked over at him.

"**Don't I**?"

"Just saying, Ava. **Anything's possible**."

She shook her head.

"I'm used to disappointment, Parker. Just like the last few years, I'll just sit up in my bed on the heli-carrier while **everyone else** gets to go."

"Wait, the other guys have dates already?"

She nodded.

"Yeah, **Sam's **got **MJ**. I'm pretty sure Danny asked **Liz**. **Luke** was talking to that **Jessica **chick. **You're** probably going to ask **Gwen** again like you did last time. Me? Well, **no guy **fool enough to ask Ava Ayala."

"Well, **Gwen **moved. We didn't even date. I just went with her so that I could get my discounted ticket for couples!"

Ava giggled at hearing that.

"I guess I'll keep that in mind." She remarked.

"Okay." He smiled. "Looks like it's **your** turn again, Ava."


	4. Chapter 4

_**True Feelings**_

Int

"Okay, hmm… Well, here's something I was wondering about. Remember a couple weeks ago when **Fury** was lecturing you for being late to practice again? He mentioned something about your **Uncle Ben**. Why did he bring him up? If, you don't mind me asking."

Peter remembered the conversation.

It had been his sixth or seventh time that he was late and Fury was in a bad mood as it was. Instead of just reprimanding him, Fury lectured him on how his **irresponsibility** was affecting the team and that this isn't what Uncle Ben meant when he said **with great power**, **comes great responsibility**. Words that weighed heavy in Peter's heart.

"I don't mind, no. It's… it's a long story. I don't want to keep you here longer than you have to be, Ava."

Ava glanced over at the clock. She got up and walked over to it, stood up on her tippy toes and took it down from the wall. She then placed it flat down on top of the coffee table and sat back down next to Peter.

"Stop mentioning the clock, Peter."

He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Okay then. Well, where do I start? Well, back when I first got my powers, I didn't realize that they were meant for **something greater**, you know? I just thought 'cool, I've got spider powers!' I didn't stop to think that I should've been using them to help people, to save lives. I was caught up in my own world."

Ava moved closer to Peter, listening closely to his story. She grabbed one of the couch pillows and hugged it in front of her, resting her head on top of it.

"I used my powers to win matches at a wrestling company. It made me easy money so that I can pay for my own stuff, instead of having to ask my aunt and uncle all the time." He continued.

"Well, one night after one of my matches, the cash manager had been robbed and so here comes this dude running with a sack full of cash while the cops chased after him down the hallway."

Peter struggled to re-tell the story, remembering the events that followed.

"Instead of stopping him, I just moved aside. I told the cops that it wasn't my problem, I'm just a fighter. Well, after I left and went home, I found May crying in the kitchen. She told me what had happened, that Uncle Ben had tried to stop a guy from running away with a bunch of money and that the robber had shot him, killing him on the spot."

Tears slowly lined Peter's eyes.

"Of course, I tore apart the city looking for the man who killed him. The cops had cornered him into this warehouse near the water and I got in before they did. When I confronted the guy, I realized that it was the same man that I had let run away back at the wrestling place. If I had just **stopped him**, then maybe… maybe my uncle would still be here." Peter finished explaining.

"Peter, I… I'm so sorry."

"Don't be, it's fine." He wiped away the tears in his eyes before continuing.

"The last words he ever said to me was '**with great power, comes great responsibility**', words that I just ignored at the time, not realizing he was just trying to help me understand who I was, what I was becoming. Fury uses him to lecture me because he knows it'll get me to pay attention."

He took a deep sigh, looking down at the coffee table.

"I just hope I haven't failed or disappointed him. He wanted so much for me."

Ava reached out and placed her palm on top of his hand. He looked back at her and caught her soft brown eyes.

"I think you're doing a **great job**, Pete. Your Uncle Ben would be very proud of you. Don't doubt that." She assured him whole-heartedly.

This forced him to slightly smile.

"I appreciate the thought, Ava. I'd like to just think that Fury likes to give me a hard time sometimes is all."

"He's good at that." She shrugged. "Can't help you there, Pete."

"Thanks, Ava. For hearing me out, though. The others definitely don't know that about me."

She smiled, lifting her hand off his.

"Thanks for telling me, Pete. Now, it's **your turn** again."

Peter glanced at the face-down clock.

"Peter, if you look at that clock **one more time**, I'll claw your eyes out!" She joked.

"Alright, alright, Ava, have it your way!" He snickered.

He thought about what he had asked earlier about what kind of dress she wanted for the dance. This hatched an idea in his head, but he wasn't sure if he was crazy enough yet to go for it.

"So, out of sheer curiosity… which one of the guys do you find the most attractive? Out of the team?"

Her smile quickly died out to a deathly glare.

"Parker, are you **serious**? I'm **not **going to answer that!" She snapped.

"Uh-uh, nope! You can't do that, you've got to answer the question, Ava!"

"Parker, please! Come on, ask another question! Don't make me answer that!" She frowned.

"Ava, I'm just curious is all!" He assured her, smiling.

"Well, I'm **not** **answering **it, Parker. Next question please!" Ava insisted.

"Is it **Sam**?"

"**Oh God no**! Are you high?!"

"Luke?"

"**Hell** no!"

"Danny?"

"Peter, stop! **No**!"

"So, it's **me**?"

"I'm not answering, Parker!"

The blush on her cheeks was a dead give-away.

"Okay, okay, I'll ask **something else**." He slightly chuckled.

"It's **not funny**, Parker! W-why do you want to know that? What do you care?"

"I…"

She crossed her arms, demanding an explanation.

"I… don't?"

"Oh, so you **don't** care? Then **why **did you ask it?"

"No reason!"

His heart was racing, nervous that she was onto him. She was peeling away the layers and trying to discover the truth behind his question. He worried, most of all, that she wouldn't hold the same truth for him.

She glared at him for a few moments, allowing the rage inside her to die out subtly.

He didn't want to enrage her, that was the last thing he wanted. But, at this point, he knew he had to say something.

"Just, ask your next question, Parker." She spoke first, calming down. "I'll head on home afterwards."

Peter took a deep breath.

"Ava, have you ever… **kissed** anyone?" He calmly asked.

Her eyes widened at hearing the question. Suddenly, her own nerves had wrapped her. She wasn't ready to answer that sort of question, especially not from Peter.

"I… I don't think I have…" She quietly answered.

"What do you mean you don't think you have, Ava?"

"**No**, I actually never have, Parker." She admitted.

"I've **never been asked out**, I've **never been asked to a dance**, I've **never been kissed before**! Why do you think I **stay away**, hmm? I'm not going to waste my time trying to look pretty if nobody's **ever **going to **notice**! I'm done trying to chase fairytales! Is there **anything else **you want to know, Parker?!"

"Ava, I didn't mean…"

She raised her hand to stop him from talking.

"Look, I'm just going to go home. Thanks, Parker."

She started to stand up but Peter softly grabbed her hand.

"Ava, stop, **please**! I didn't mean to offend you or hurt your feelings in anyway!"

She slowly sat back down.

"Then **why ask that**, Peter? I **know** I'm not as pretty as **Gwen** or **MJ**. You don't have to keep asking me these kinds of questions to make me feel uglier than I already do!"

"It's because **I like you**! Ava!" He finally told her.

She seemed stunned for a second, almost as though she didn't fully understand what he had just admitted to her.

"You what?" She softly asked.

"Damn it, Ava. I **like **you! I've always **liked **you! I… I **care** about you!"

His heart was pounding against his chest at this point, nerves out of control, scared of how she would react to all of this.

"You like… **me**? But… I'm not **pretty**, I'm not…"

"Just because nobody's asked you out on a date, to the dance, or even asked to kiss you doesn't mean you're not **pretty**, Ava. It doesn't mean that at all. You're… you're much more amazing than you think you are." He assured her.

"Peter, I…"

He realized that he may have made a mistake in telling her how he felt about her.

"If you don't feel the same, I understand." He sighed.

He began to turn away when she promptly grabbed his shoulder.

"No! Peter, the truth is… I actually **really **care about you too."

"Y-you do?"

She nodded.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't feel the same, honestly."

"But, I do, Ava. Seriously."

She smiled, raising her left hand to caress his cheek.

"It's my **turn** to ask the question, isn't it?" She softly asked.

"I think it is."

"**Kiss me**."

"That's not a question, Ava." Peter pointed out.

"I wasn't asking, Peter."


	5. Chapter 5

_**The Right Question**_

Int

"Ava, are you **sure**?" He softly asked.

She nodded, picking up his left hand and placing his palm warmly upon her cheek.

"I'm **sure**."

Both hearts, spinning in a wild rollercoaster of nerves, aching for each other, grew closer within those few seconds than they have in their toughest battles and ultimate showdowns.

He pulled her closer, close enough to hear her breathing skip a beat as she was shaken with nerves.

"Sorry. I've never gotten this close to anyone before." She nervously told him as she wrapped her arms around him.

"It's okay, I **never have** either."

She inched closer to his ear.

"You're such a **terrible liar**, Peter." She whispered.

He chuckled.

"And how do you know that?"

She stopped to stare at him face-to-face.

"I've **watched** you kiss other girls in the hallway."

"Oh." He felt like an idiot.

Ava merely smiled, placing her hands on his face.

"Just **don't break** my heart, Parker."

He gulped, knowing the proximity of her nails near his neck.

"I wouldn't dream of it, Ava."

"Good."

With that as his confirmation, he inched closer to her lips. Softly placing his hands at her waist. Without warning, she moved closer and pressed her lips against his.

He closed his eyes and so did she, holding her close as they shared their moment of passion, their few seconds of heaven, Ava's **first** kiss, Peter's most **cherished** kiss.

She pushed him backwards onto the couch, to the point she was **on top** of him.

The kiss seemed to last forever, never-ending and so sweet.

As their lips finally departed, Peter was left with a longing for more.

"Wow. Ava, that was…"

"**Amazing**." She gasped.

He smiled, seeing that she was so happy.

Never did he expect, however, that she'd kiss him once more. This time, she didn't stop. She didn't want to end their bliss.

Int

_Later that night…_

Of course, time is always continuous. Both Ava and Peter didn't stop to look at the time and they ended up falling asleep. Ava, held tight in Peter's arms.

Aunt May returned home around **10:54PM**. Late, as her book reading took longer than expected and traffic got caught up on her way back to Queens.

Thinking that Peter had fallen asleep, she quietly opened the front door as to not to disturb him and closed it back up just as quietly.

As she turned, she felt the rush of a mini-heart attack as she quietly gasped at the sight on the cough.

Ava was resting with her head against Peter's chest on the couch. Her arms wrapped around him while his right hand rested at the small of her back. She quickly inferred that Ava's visit was more than just a simple study session.

"Oh boy. What do I do about this?" May whispered to herself.

She walked over to the kitchen and saw that Peter had made dinner and left a pan of leftovers for her in the microwave. So thoughtful.

She glanced back over at the living room, seeing the two lovebird teenagers still sound asleep.

"At least I didn't catch them doing **anything else**."

After sampling a quick bite of what Peter had cooked up, she walked upstairs and opened up the laundry closet in the hallway, picking up a warm black folded-up blanket and returned downstairs to softly place it over them so that they didn't get cold throughout the night.

She spotted Peter's phone and picked it up, pressing the Alarm application and setting it so that they both had enough time to wake up the next morning for school.

"These darn teenagers." She finally stated, placing the phone down and heading upstairs to go to sleep herself.

She was somewhat anxious to know how they would react that following morning.

Int

_That next morning…_

**6:29…6:30AM. **

The alarm on Peter's phone rang off.

Ava opened her eyes first, thinking that she was still in a dream. Suddenly, she realized where she was, shooting up instantly off of Peter with her eyes wide open.

"Oh no." She gasped. "Oh my God, oh my God. Peter! Wake up!"

She shook his shoulders. He slowly opened his eyes with a smile.

"Mmm. I can get used to waking up to you." He joked.

She rolled her eyes.

"Not now, Parker! Jeez! I can't believe we fell asleep last night. I didn't think we would…"

"Turn a **study session** into a **sleepover**?" May's voice was heard from the kitchen.

Ava's heart dropped, realizing that Peter's aunt was awake. Cooking breakfast. Knowing that she had slept over. **On top** of her nephew!

"Oh my God, May, I'm **so sorry**!" Ava stood up and walked over to the kitchen. "I really didn't mean to do anything! I mean, we **didn't do anything**. I mean, nothing like **what you think**!"

May turned her attention from the eggs and bacon on the stove top over to Ava, raising her hand to prompt Ava to calm down. It was her smile that finally got Ava to relax.

"Ava, it's **fine**. Really! I'm glad nothing **like that** happened, but I hold nothing against Peter having his **girlfriends** over."

"Well, I'm not technically his girlfriend, but…"

"Aren't you?" Peter curiously asked, sticking his head in the kitchen.

Ava gave him a dumbfounded look.

"**I don't know**, Parker, **are we**?" She anxiously replied.

"I mean… Do you want to?"

"Do I **want to**!?"

May laughed.

"Jeez, you two better make up your minds. After whatever happened last night, I would've thought that it was clear by now." She pointed out.

Ava crossed her arms at Peter.

"Well, if we're going to be **girlfriend** and **boyfriend**, you better ask the **right question**!"

Peter smiled.

"Alright, alright. Ava Ayala, will you go out with me?" He sincerely asked.

"Go out where?" May questioned. "Just ask her to be your girlfriend, Peter!"

"**Aunt May**! Shhh!"

Ava still stood there, waiting for the question from Peter.

He approached her again, still smiling.

"Ava, will you be my **girlfriend**?"

She smiled.

"The guys are going to go **nuts** when they find out."

"I know."

"**Yes**, Peter. I will."

"Well that settles it." May stated. "Now, be dears and set up the table for me so that you two can eat your breakfast and head on out to school."

"But, May, we haven't even showered yet, we're still wearing the same clothes from yesterday!" Peter pointed out.

"Should've thought about that before you two decided to **sleep together**!" She humorously suggested.

They helped her set up the table and she served them their breakfast. It was initially a little awkward since Peter didn't expect to ask Ava out so unexpectedly and they weren't sure how to carry on the beginning of their relationship.

Once May put away the pans and headed off to work, she left Ava and Peter to finish up and head off to Midtown High.

"**That** was interesting." Ava spoke up, putting away the dirty dishes in the dishwasher.

"You're telling **me**. But, you're the one who put the clock away, sooo…"

"Yeah because you kept **looking** at it! You made me feel like you didn't want to keep asking me questions."

"I did but I didn't want you to have to get back late to the heli-carrier, Ava."

"Speaking of which…" She checked her communicator. "Yep, ten missed calls from **Sam**."

"Why didn't they send someone to search for you?" Peter questioned.

"He probably checked the GPS Locator and saw that I was still at your place. Sam probably assumed that I stayed over." She sighed. "We're **definitely** **not** going to hear the end of that."

Peter chuckled.

"That's expected."

Ava walked over to the couch and picked up her bookbag. She picked up Peter's too and handed it to him.

"Ready to go?" She asked him.

"Are you?"

She took a deep breath.

"If Sam says something smart, I'm **lighting his room on fire**."

They walked out of the house, Peter locking the door on the way.

"I wonder what **Fury** will think of this." Ava mentioned.

This caused a look of dread on Peter's face.


End file.
